Micajah johnston



(NO Model.)

ANIMAL TRTAnNI Paten ted OO NIW u IIIIIIIIIIl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MIOAJAH JOHNSTON, OF EVERGREEN, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LUMAN W. SAVAGE, OF SAME PLACE.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,799, dated October 25,1892.

Application iiled June 24, 1892. Serial No. 437,873. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, MIGAJAH JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evergreen, in the county of Oonecuh and State of Alabama, 'have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in self-set and ever-set animal-traps.

The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the constructionof selfset and ever-set animal-traps and to provide one which may be used in connection with an ordinary receptacle-such as a bucket, tub, barrel, or the likeand which will not excite suspicion nor betray the presence of an animal when trapped. y

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a trap constructed in accordance with. this invention. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a base adapted to be placed upon a suitable receptable to serve as a cover for the same and provided with a central circular opening 2 and having diametricallydisposed recesses 3, which are arranged in in the upper face of the` base, and which extends from thecentral opening, and which have pivotally mounted in them tilting trapdoors 4 and 5. The tilting trap-doors 4 and 5 are pivoted intermediate of their ends by pins 6 and have heavier outer portions to maintain them in a horizontal position, and their inner portions project over the central opening and when in a horizontal position are adapted to complete the base and close the opening 2. The tilting trap-doors 4, which are disposed opposite each other, are provided at their inner ends with segmental enlargements 7, which Aconform to the conguration of the adjacent portions of the base and have their curved edges beveled and fitting against beveled portions of the base. The straight edges of the segmental portions 7 of the tilting trap-doors 4 are arranged on a line with the edges of the recesses of the tilting trap-doors 5, which have theirinner ends extended to the center of the central opening 2 and arranged between the segmental enlargements 7. By this construction the central opening2 may be constructed of considerable size without employing cumbersome trap-doors, which might interfere with the operation of the trap.

. A bait-supporting frame 8 is arranged over the central opening and consists of vertical bars 9 and a top cross-barlO, which is provided at its center with a perforation 1l to facilitate the fastening of a suitable bait `to the frame. The base is provided with four inwardly-projecting stops 12, which have beveled upper faces and which are arranged beneath the tilting trap-doors and are adapted to limit the downward movement of the inner portions of the latter. The base is beveled around the central opening, and is preferably constructed as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and consists of a bottom board having the central opening 2 and approximately-triangular pieces 18 secured to the upper face of the bottom board and arranged to form the recesses 3.

It will be seen that the trap is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted for catching all kinds of small animals, and that the presence of trapped animals is not betrayed.

What I claim is- An animal-trap comprising a base having a central circular opening and provided in its upper face with diametrically-disposed recesses extending from the central opening, the pivoted trap-doors mounted in the recesses and having heavier outer portions and having inner portions extending over the central opening and completing the base, the trap-doors 4 being provided with segmental inner portions conforming to the central opening and arranged at opposite sides my own I have hereto axed my signature in ghtereof and the inner ends of the trap-doors the presence of two Witnesses.

eing arranged between the segmental portions, and a bait-supporting frame extend- MXCAJAH JOHNSTON 5 ing over the central opening, substantially Witnesses:

as described. PERRY C. WALKER,

In testimony that I claim Jhe foregoing as BERTIE B. HAYS. 

